Birthday of Joseph Hill, January 22nd

January 22nd is the birthday of musician Joseph Hill, born this day in 1949.

He was a powerful singer and artist, with a message that everyone can make music, and that music can be a force for peace and against oppression.

His music also carries strong spiritual themes, including the theme of awakening.

The song "So long Babylon a Fool I (and I)" from the 1978 album Baldhead Bridge (Culture's second album) forcefully and plaintively laments the exploitive world-system enforced by violence ("gun and bayonet") but also by world-wide deception -- connected to the description in Revelation 17 of the woman "arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls" symbolically named Babylon, and linked to captivity and enslavement in the stories found in what is called the Old Testament.

The symbology is that of something which appears outwardly beautiful and desirable, but which actually enslaves, destroys, and even devours men and women.

The lyrics of the song can be heard on the internet here and here (among other places), although I would argue that all of the incredible music Joseph Hill created during his long and successful career (along with his fellow artists) deserves a place in the vinyl section of your bookshelf, if possible, in order to hear the music in all its richness.

The lyrics to the song are not always easy to transcribe, but appear to also make a reference to a switching of versions of Biblical scriptures as part of the list of deceptions by which Babylon "has fooled I and I for so long," according to the artist.

Below is my best-effort suggestion as to the lyrics that I hear in the song:

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So long Babylon a-fool I, so long

So long Babylon a-fool I, so long

For the enemies around I, trying to devour I

So long Bablyon just a-fool I, so long

So long Babylon just a-starve I, so long

So long Babylon just a-starve I, so long

For the rich man them them have it, them no-want give to Natty

So long Babylon just a-fool I, so long

JAH: Rasta

So long Babylon a-hide the truth from I, so long

JAH: Rastafari!

So long Babylon a-hide the truth from I, so long

For them tell him a Babby version, and left them King James Version

So long Babylon a-hide the truth from I, so long

A long time, Dread! Yes, I . . .

So long . . . FIRE!

JAH: Rastafari!

So long them-a rule I with a-gun and bayonet, so long

So long them-a rule I with guns and bayonet, so long

For the enemies around I, trying to devour I

Them a-rule I long-time with gun and bayonet, Oh JAH, so long

Soon we gone go-a Africa, so long

(Them long time, Dread -- Yes I!)

So long, we want go a-Africa, so long

Nyabinghi, Nyabinghi!

For the Babylon them hold I, don't want for let I go

So long I a-want go a-Africa, so long

Long time, I! Yes, I! Long time, Binghi!

So long Babylon, no want your rights

JAH: Rastafari!

So long Babylon, them no want your rights

Should be I majesty I!

JAH: Rastafari!

For the enemies around I, trying to devour I

So long, so long, so long-a long-a time

So long

A long, long time-a time

So long

Such a long, a-long-a I-wah

So long

Dong-a conga Natty Dread

So long

Dong-a Bong-a I-a I

So long

JAH-JAH a-Selassie, I

So long

I ah, I ah, Dreadlocks, I

So long

JAH-JAH children want go home

So long

Dong-a Long-a Long-a Bong-a Long-a Long

So long

Go long, Natty Dread, Along, Natty Dread, Along

So long

So long

So long

So long

Right Now!

So long

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Joseph Hill was an inspired and talented artist whose music was a gift to the world.